Improvement in trusses



' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l ROBERT E. DOWNIE, OF DELAVAN, WISOON SIN, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND LEONARD E. DOWNIE, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRUSSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 5 1,108, dated November 21, 1865.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. DowNIE, of Delavan, in the county of Walworth and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and lmproved Truss and Supporter; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings,for1ning part ofthis specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a plan or top view of this invention, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation ofthe same.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate like parts.

This invention relates to a truss or supporter provided with a back pad which is hinged to a rocking bar, in combination with springarms hinged at their rear ends to said rocking bar, and provided with pads of a peculiar shape, in such a manner that by the combination ot' said rocking bar, back pad, and spring-arms a uniformv pressure is exerted on the rupture, and at the same time the body of the patient has afree and unrestricted motion in all directions or forms and in any position without irritation from any part of the truss and without danger of causing a displacement ofthe truss. The front pads are so formed as to avoid all downward pressure, and to give a more direct and upward pressure and from a lower point than other pads in use, and also prevent the rupture from pressing out below the pad.

A represents the back pad, which may be made of steel, malleable or wrought iron, or of any other suitable material, and covered with buckskin, rubber, or other material, or it might be made of hard rubber; but I use, by preference, steel covered with rubber. This pad is connected to the adjusting or rocking bar B by a hinge-joint, a, which may be made of malleable or wrought iron, or of any suitable material, and which connects bysuitablejoints, b, with the arms C. To these arms are connected the springs C', which should be made of steel sufficiently light and elastic, and covered with buckskin, rubber, or other suitable materiahalthough the covering is not essential to the working ot' the instrument and may be dispensed with. Said springs are connected to the arms by screws j' passing through slots g, so that they can be extended or shortened, and that they can be readily adjusted for patients of' diii'erent stature. They bear on their outer ends the pads D, which are so formed that all downward pressure is avoided, and that they act from alower point and in a more direct manner than other pads heretofore used in trusses or supporters.

It will be readily understood that the same arrangement is applicable to an abdominal supporter as well as to a truss, and I do not wish to contne myself, therefore, in the application of the back pad and adjusting-bar, merely to a truss, but reserve the right to apply the same to supporters or other similar devices.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The back pad, A, and rocking bar B, ap plied in combination with the springs O and pads D, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The hinged arms C, in combination with the rocking bar B, back pad, A, and springs C', constructed and operated substantially as and for the purpose described.

ROBT. E. DOWNIE.

Witnesses MARY C. HIGEEE, L. HUNTINGTON. 

